With Halloween literally one week away from today, I will be wrapping up this series hopefully by Monday. For the day before and the day of Halloween, I’ve got something special planned, so stay tuned, I think you might enjoy them. For this post, though, I’m going to go over the action movies that I believe that straddle the line between action and horror enough to qualify them as horror movies. As a huge fan of action movies, I absolutely enjoy the fistfights, the gunfights, explosions, car chases, and the inevitable showdown between the hero and the villain. Some of these movies most people may not classify them as horror films, but I believe that there enough elements within each film to at least qualify the film as combination of action and horror. Be aware that some of these movies aren’t necessarily going to be good movies, but these are the ones that enjoy the most. With that in mind, let’s dig up some of the darkest action movies that could be considered horror.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Ah, Indiana Jones. One of the greatest action heroes of all time. Raiders of the Lost Ark is considered by many to be one of the greatest adventure films ever made, and it’s not hard to see why. You’ve got memorable characters, incredible action, whiz-bang special effects, and a music score that even to this day is incredibly iconic. Harrison Ford IS Indiana Jones. So, when the follow-up film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was came out, the excitement for the film was sky-high. Unfortunately, the reaction to the film was mixed to negative, with some people loving it, and others completely hating it because it was a totally different kind of film than what people were expecting. Critics really aren’t wrong here, Temple of Doom is, at its core, a horror film of sorts. It takes Indiana Jones on a train-ride to hell, almost literally. This film goes to some very, very dark places. Some of the themes include child slavery and human sacrifice. Even from a visual standpoint, it got pretty gruesome with hearts being ripped out and people lowered into lava pits. It was a very violent movie, and that turned away a lot of people. Not me, though. As a kid, this was my favorite of the then-Indiana Jones Trilogy. Looking back, I can definitely see why people didn’t like it. Even Steven Spielberg himself has said that Temple of Doom is his least favorite of the Indy films. It was the film that led Spielberg and the MPAA to adopt a PG-13 rating, a rating between PG and R. I still think it’s a very good movie. Flawed, for sure, but damn if it ain’t fun at times. It’s also got some of the most iconic action sequences of all time, including the cart chase and the bridge sequences. Take that for what you will. Also, Mola Ram is scary as hell.
Batman Returns
Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989 is one of the most successful comic book movies ever made in terms of critical and financial success. It combined elements of action and some Gothic horror that made the film stand out among it peers and is probably my second-favorite live-action Batman film. My actual favorite live-action film is the sequel, Batman Returns. After the success of the first film, Tim Burton was given the go ahead to do what he really wanted to do with Batman, and the result is one of the darkest comic book movies ever made, even to the point where people were disappointed. Like Temple of Doom, Batman Returns is a very violent movie. If this movie was released today, it probably would be rated R. It doesn’t shy away from dark ideas and dark themes. The origin of Catwoman and the character of Penguin are bizarre to say the least. Penguin himself is a very different interpretation of the gangster that you see from the comics. Here, he’s an actual mutant/monster, played to perfection by Danny DeVito. I think it’s a much better film than most people give it credit for. I mean, it even has Christopher Walken as a sleazy corporate scumbag. Isn’t that worth the price of admission alone?
Ninja III: The Domination
Boy, here’s a guilty pleasure if there ever was one. Ninja III is one of the most bizarre ninja films to ever exist. It combines elements of a martial arts movie, Flashdance, and The Exorcist all in one. Does it actually succeed? Not really, but not for a lack of trying. It’s just so damned weird that I can’t help but love it. It’s cheesy with some really terrible writing and some incredibly horrendous acting. But it’s not boring. The movie is about a ninja who manages to survive being shot with hundreds of bullets to possess a young woman so he can force her to take revenge on the people that killed him. Is the film as bizarre as the plot? Even more so. It’s a movie that really has no idea what it wants to be, and yet it still very satisfying to watch. The action sequences and stunt-work are top-notch, but the horror elements, while mostly lame, actually make the film stand out in different ways. Again, is it a good movie? Not remotely, but it’s entertaining as hell. There are times when it does come across as a horror movie, and thus its inclusion on this list.
The Terminator
Remember in my last Best of October post where I said that horror is one of the most versatile genres in the industry? Well, The Terminator is as much a horror movie as it is an action and science fiction film. I’ll tell you why: The Terminator. This is a cyborg set back in time to kill Sarah Connor, the future mother of John Connor, who would lead humanity in its war against the machines. The reason why this film is definitely a horror movie is because we’re dealing with an unstoppable killing machine that is basically targeting anyone and everyone whose name is Sarah Connor. The results are pretty horrific. The best example of this being a horror movie is the shootout in the police station. The machine slaughters every cop in the building without slowing down, and he’s constantly on the hunt for Sarah. In some ways, it could be considered a slasher film. It’s a damned good movie that only ended up with only one really good sequel. It’s an absolute classic.
Upgrade
Honestly, I would have put Venom on here if it was actually a good movie. While I did enjoy Venom, it was held back by the rating and some pretty lousy writing. Don’t get me wrong, Tom Hardy was awesome, but that was it. The best Venom movie is actually called Upgrade. Following a guy named Grey Trace after his wife has been killed and himself being paralyzed from the neck down, he is offered a chance to get his life back by having a chip implanted in his back that would allow him to walk again. The chip is controlled by an advanced artificial intelligence and basically gives Grey super-strength. You know what qualifies this as horror? It pulls no punches with its violence, unlike Venom. This movie gets pretty gory, but the action is solid and the acting is really good. Logan-Marshall Green is fantastic. While Upgrade isn’t perfect, it’s a hell of a lot better than Venom in nearly every way. If you want to watch Venom, watch Upgrade instead. It’s basically the same movie, only better.
The Raid
The Raid is simply one of the best action movies to come out in the last 15 years. Easily. The film was featured heavily on multiple horror websites and its easy to see why. This is a brutally violent movie that starts off quickly enough, but doesn’t stop until the end. The film is about a group of policemen who are sent into a building to track down and capture a ruthless drug lord, only to be trapped by said drug lord. With gangs coming at them from below and from above, it’s a non-stop battle for survival. The concept of a film like this is actually pretty terrifying, especially if everybody’s out to kill you. While I wouldn’t call The Raid a straight-up horror film, it does enough to warrant an inclusion on this list. They really don’t skimp on the violence. It’s a major thrill-ride from beginning to end. I don’t think I could recommend it enough.
Well, those were some my favorite movies that definitely straddled the line between action and horror. Like science fiction and horror, action and horror isn’t the easiest combination to pull off very well. When it’s done right, it’s incredible. When it’s not, it’s kind of laughable. I would absolutely say check these out, especially if you can stomach a bit of ultra-violence. I’ve got a couple more ideas for The Best of October before I wrap this up, but it’s been a hell of a ride. I’ve enjoyed every moment that I’ve spent making these posts, and I honestly hope that you’ve enjoyed reading them. I hope that you’ve found some of these films to be as entertaining as I did, and if you discovered a new that you may not have heard of before, then that would mean a lot to me. As always, The Best of October continues. Stay tuned.